My own Bellward story
by Kayfication
Summary: They're now officially Mr and Mrs Edward Cullen. With a baby in her tummy, will Bella still want to be changed after the birth?
1. Preface

**A/N:**

**Hi, so I'm Kay and this is the 2011 version of MOBS. It's about two years since I started writing the first version and this, the second version is the same story, only a whole lot better. I've not only changed grammar, but made it better in every kind of way. Remember, I was 13 when I started writing that first chapter you read. Now I'm 16-to-be.**

**Disclaimer: I **_**still **_**don't own Twilight or the characters – the genius Stephenie Meyer **_**still**_** does.**

**Preface**

Edward had taken it really well. Surprisingly well, actually. His exact words had been '_Oh my God, Bella… That's truly wonderful!_' And then he had hugged and kissed her with the biggest smile she had ever seen on his face.

He is actually almost more excited about this than Bella. Almost.

The first thing she had done after peeing on that stick and seeing the green smiley face in the little window, was to start the computer to look for baby clothes on the Internet. She knew it was silly, but right then, she really didn't care.

She had called Edward right away – well, after ordering those gorgeous tiny socks in as many patterns as possible – and told him that he had to come right away; it was an emergency going on. A good one – which she accidentally forgot to tell him.

Edward was so turned up of concerns that he didn't even knock on the door when he showed up, only minutes after the phone call.

"Relax", Bella had said to make him calm down, but of course without much success.

"What is it? You told me it was an emergency. Is everything okay?"

"Yes, everything's okay. It's more than okay, it's actually kind of pretty damn wonderful_._" Edward chuckled – probably a mixture of the choice of words Bella made, and of all the feelings that must have been going on in him, relief, curiosity and impatience – and he just stood there with big dark goldenrod eyes, waiting for an answer to the first of his question. The one she still hadn't answered. The one going 'what is it?'

"Bella, please. Tell me!" He had put his both ice cold hands on her cheeks as he had gotten impatient.

"OK, OK. Come here**.**"

She remembers how she had broken out of his tight grip around her face, and how she took his hand and led him to the couch and sat him down, while she had been sitting down on the coffee table in front of him.

She had taken a deep breath and prepared herself for any kinds of reactions. "I'm having your baby, Edward Cullen."

It had felt good to let it out, but she also had felt a bit concerned to how he would react.

And then they had finally been said. – The words that had made her so relieved and happy; "Oh my god, Bella… That's truly wonderful!"

They had spent about 10 minutes just kissing and hugging each other – and crying a little – when Edward finally opened his mouth. "Here I was, thinking something had happened to you! And it turns out the so called 'emergency' is this beautiful, wonderful, amazing thing."

She had smiled and put her hand on her belly. "It is. But the part about the 'nothing has happened to me' isn't really true, though."

He had laughed and put his hand at hers. "No, I guess isn't", he breathed, sounding relieved. "But I thought it was something… bad. This is… good, Bella. Heck, that's an understatement! It's _pretty damn wonderful_, is what it is!" he quoted her. And then his smooth icy lips touched hers in the most passionate kiss ever.


	2. Chap 1: Telling Charlie

**Chapter 1**

**Telling Charlie**

It's been a month since Bella told him. Everything's as it's supposed to be. With the three months old baby in Bella's belly, they're both happier than ever.

Bella looks out through the window in the classroom. Her gaze gets caught on a kid outside. A little boy jumping ropes in the snow. _Six months left_,she thinks to her self and strokes her hand over her belly.

Edward, who sits next to her, must have followed her gaze and figured her thoughts, 'cause he's also watching the boy outside. He smiles at Bella.

It's the first day in school after Christmas holidays and Mr. Banner has made them watch a movie about caterpillars and butterflies in biology class. He must think their in seventh grade or something, Bella remembers watching this exact same movie in Phoenix in – well, just that – seventh grade.

Something distracts her in the middle of the transformation of a disgusting green caterpillar turning into a beautiful aquamarine butterfly.

Edward. His gaze is stuck on Bella and not anywhere towards the television.

It's quiet in the room, nothing but the low noise of a beeping butterfly from the TV screen can be heard. So instead of whispering to him, she rips out a piece of paper from here notepad and starts writing to him.

Head towards television, Cullen.

He smiles at her and he's done writing an answer before Bella's eve grasped that he's taken the pen from her. That's one of many ways in which he amazes her.

Sorry, too busy looking at you, love.

Besides, I've watched this at least ten times before.

She gets a lump in her stomach as soon as she reads it. But not out of fear, sadness or anything like that. Out of love. Gratitude, wonderment._ Love_ because she loves Edward (obviously…) for an innumerable amount of reasons, not least giving her the greatest gift of all times – a baby.

_Gratitude_ because she can't even explain how grateful she is that she has Edward. Without him she would still be that unhappy teenage girl stuck in the rainiest town on earth. Okay, the last part – still true. But with Edward it's not nearly as painful. Not even a bit, actually.

And last but not least – _wonderment_. Because she just can't stop wondering how someone like _him_ can love someone like _her_. Though he says it in a way that almost makes it unbelievable not to trust him, Bella's self confidence is way to low for her just to believe him.

She writes the only thing she can think of at the moment.

I love you.

"Oh, I love you too. More than you could ever imagine," Edward whispers as a response to her note.

He looks deeply into Bella's chocolate eyes and she just_ can't_ stop wondering if he really means that – 'cause honestly, how could he?

"You know I mean that, Bella",he answers to her thoughts, with his beautiful velvety voice.

"H-how do you do that?"she stutters as she looks at Edward with big amazed eyes. And he says he _can't_ read her mind!

"I know you, Bella. I don't have to be able to actually hear your thoughts to know what you're thinking." He smiles that beautiful crooked smile he knows Bella loves so much, and the wonder is gone.

SuddenlyBella starts giggling. It takes a few seconds for her to realize what's happening**. **"Oh my God."

"What? Are you okay?"Edward looks at her with astonishment. His voice sounds worried. She smiles and takes his hand and puts it on her stomach.

Edward smiles back, and his smile is even bigger than Bella's. "Is that…?"

She nods and bites her lip. "It's tickling!"

He kisses her on her forehead and keeps his hand on her stomach, when Mr. Banner suddenly interrupts them.

"Mr. Cullen, Ms. Swan."He shoots them an angry glance.

Bella doesn't bother to correct him, but he apparently hasn't heard about their wedding. 'Cause then, he would have called her by her actual name – Mrs. Cullen. She smiles just thinking about it. She loves her new name. Bella Cullen is more _her_. More correct, more right. Isabella Swan was just something she was called before she met Edward. This is her_ real_ name, what she was meant to be named. Who she was meant to be.

Edward takes his hand off of Bella and smiles at her and they laugh, but silent – they don't want to get thrown out by Mr. Banner. That wouldn't be the most parental-like thing to do.

Their classmates have left the classroom and Bella and Edward are the only ones there.

Bella's finding it a little hard to stand up straight from all the kicking going on in her belly, and she's not far from falling when Edward saves her by taking his arm around her. "Wow, I bet she's gotten her energy from her father."He smiles, but Bella just looks at him like a question mark.

"She?"Her voice cracks.

"Alice told me, she saw when we decided her name." _Thank you, Alice, for your amazing gift to see into the future!_

Her eyes starts filling with tears that make her se blurry. "It's a girl? We're having a girl?"

Edward, who still has his arms around Bella, wipes away the tears with his fingers.

"We're having a girl", he repeats her, but without a question mark in the end.

He puts his hand on her head and plays with her hair, still looking directly into her eyes. He kisses her gently. A kiss that lasts for an eternity. It could have lasted longer than an eternity, it could have lasted forever and Bella still wouldn't mind. The voice in her head that says she likes Edward's kisses is wrong. She doesn't like Edward's kisses. She _loves_ Edward's kisses. She loves his mouth, his lips. She loves his everything.

"And what do we name her?" She just remembers what Edward had said Alice saw.

"She wouldn't tell me. And you know Alice…" He rolls his eyes and bares his teeth in a big smile.

Bella smiles back. She knows exactly what he means by the _'you know Alice…' _and the eyes rolling.

"Stubborn, yeah… But I think I know a way to get her to tell me", she says and smiles playfully.

He raises his eyebrows. "Clearly, you don't know Alice as well as I thought…"

"I think I do. Actually, stubbornness comes second of the list of Alice's characteristics. First comes _curiosity_."

Edward smiles, impressed. "I have to admit, you're good."

"And you got that now?" she smirks and smiles proudly.

"No, I always knew that."He chuckles and kisses her on her forehead one more time and then continues. "So, tell me your big plans."

Bella hawks as if to prepare for a speech, or as in this case, just a really long sentence. "Okay. So, ever since the day we got home from our honeymoon, Alice has being trying to get me to tell her all about how the baby was conceived…"

Edward starts to laugh. "Wow, these decades in school and of sex education really proved to have done nothing."

"Very funny..." Bella fake-laughs. "No, seriously. You know like how it happened and stuff…"She looks at him innocently.

"You're going to tell her about our beach night?"Edward looks at Bella with doubt. He doesn't look like he's very happy about her – so called – plan.

"If that's what it takes to get her to tell me the name of my daughter, then _yes_."Wow, where did that come from? Bella hears how definite she sounds. After all it's just a name and they will find out eventually. Obviously. Since they will even be the once to decide it and all… But stubborn as she is – not really as much as Alice though – she wants to know _now_.

"_Our_ daughter", Edward corrects her, and it seems he has given in.

"But _no_ dirty details!" he adds.

He must have heard how strict he sounds because he continues a little easier. "Let's keep them to ourselves."

He smiles and winks with one of his remarkable dark eyes.

On their way out through the door they run in to Jacob, who has his arms full of books. He looks stressed.

"Jake, hey!"Bella shouts almost a little too loud.

"Hello Bella… Edward. It's been a while."He smiles but seems absent.

"Yes, it has. How are you?"Bella hugs him and he hugs back. She notices that he sniffs her hair just like he had done that day last spring before he had kissed her. Edward, who also – obviously – noticed, gives him a look that says something like **'**_back off, she's with me_**'**. Now with the baby in Bella's belly, he's more protective than ever.

Jacob's smile, that almost isn't visible anymore, looks strained. Bella can't stop wondering why he's like this. He wasn't like this when he found out that Edward's the one Bella loves. She remembers Jake's word perfectly; '_as long as you're happ_y_'_. She remembers how he smiled when he said that, and how she felt that he meant it. So why would he be like this after – what is it? 10 months?

"I'm alright, a little stressed", he interrupts her thoughts by answering the question she forgot she had asked. "I'm late for chemistry class. Mr Johnson…."he continues.

"Oh. Well, then you'd better run. Hope you've had a nice Christmas."She smiles at him and says goodbye.

She has to talk to him. Something's wrong – and even though she's with Edward now, they're still friends, right? Or are they? Bella hasn't heard from Jacob the entire winter and she hasn't really been making any effort to stay in touch either. She just realizes how much she has missed him.

Edward grabs Bella's hand and they go to math class together.

"So…"Edward starts. "Are you going to tell him? 'Cause he clearly still has feelings for you and you might save him time craving for you and waiting for you to choose him if you tell him you're pregnant and married …" He looks at her knowingly.

When Bella hesitates he continues. "You know I'm right…"

"I don't know… I mean, I probably should tell Charlie first…"

Prepare for the yelling.

"You haven't told your _father _yet? Bella! I've told _my_ whole family."He sounds more surprised than angry, surprisingly enough. She guesses he doesn't want to fight with her right now, he knows how easily she gets upset now with the hormones and all.

The reason she hasn't told Charlie yet is because she doesn't know how he'll react at all. If it wouldn't be for how busy Charlie's been with work the last months, he would probably have noticed that Bella's spending a whole lot of time in the bathroom – throwing up, but of course he can't know that. He hasn't even been pointing out her now pretty loose dress-style. She always used to wear tight jeans and too small t-shirts, but now her closet consists of extra-large college-jumpers and two sizes larger jeans that Esme has lend her. But as told, he's very busy…

She smiles guiltily. "Well… He knows we're married…" And for that, he had been a little grumpy. Running away to Las Vegas wasn't really Bella-style, he had made clear he thought. She could only guess what he thought about the honey moon on Isle Esme.

He looks at her and smiles, almost laughs, and tries to sound convenient."Bella, for me…?"

Too bad you can't say no to that angelic face of his.

"Okay, I'll tell him today. In one condition." Edward frowns at the last part. "That you'll be there when I tell him."She flashes her long pitch black eyelashes in an attempt to make her eyes look like puppy dog eyes, and puts her hands to her cheeks, just like she always does when she wants Edward to do something. He's very weak when it comes to this. It always works. This time – no exception.

"Okay… As long as he doesn't hit me."

Bella finds it hard to know if he's serious or not as he looks worried but laughs at the same time.

She raises her eyebrows. "Okay…? Since when did the vampire get scared of the 40 year old human?"

"Gee, I don't know… Since he married and got his teenage daughter pregnant, maybe?" They laugh together and just a couple of feet away they catch sight of Edward's just-as-beautifully-remarkably-gorgeous-as-him-brothers and sisters – Alice, Emmett, Jasper and Rosalie – by their lockers.

"Hey, Cullen-family!"Bella rushes towards them and smiles. Edward follows her and smiles as well.

"Hi, Bella! Edward!" Alice hugs them both even though she saw Edward this morning and Bella as late as yesterday night. She's always energetic. Kind of like Baby Cullen.

Rosalie, Jasper and Emmett, who all like Edward and Bella just as much as Alice, contents with just saying 'hi'.

Rosalie has accepted Bella by this time. She even says she loves her, according to Edward. Of course, Bella can't be sure if Rosalie really does love her, or if Edward's just saying so.

"How are you? Everything's okay with the _baby_?"Alice points at Bella's tummy andthe last word she whispers, even though nobody's around them.

Ever since Edward and Bella told Edward's family about the pregnancy 2 weeks ago, Alice has been asking Bella the same questions every day; '_How are you? Everything's okay with the baby?_'

Everybody – well, except Alice – starts laughing.

"Honey, I'm sure nothing has changed since last night."Jasper smiles at her passionately.

Alice gives him a grumpy look. "Well, how would we know if nobody asked?"

"Actually it has",Bella disagrees with Jasper, to defend Alice. She hurries to continue when she sees Alice's eyes turn big and worried**-**like.

"She kicked for the first time today."Bella and Edward look at each other and smile.

Alice opens her mouth without making any sound and her eyes are now even bigger, but not because she's worried this time. Excitement!

"Cool! What did it feel like?"Emmett, who is unexpectedly excited about this, is the first to say something.

Bella doesn't know how to describe the feeling she had felt earlier.

"Well, strange… and tickling, but in a way, kind of nice…"

"Oh my God, I can't believe I missed it!"Alice looks bummed out, but continues. "You didn't miss it Edward, did you?"She switches her gaze from Bella's belly to Edward just as if she remembers that's the most important thing despite it all.

"Oh, no, I felt it. It was a wonderful feeling. Indescribable. She's as energetic like you Alice. She kicks very hard." The proudness in his voice makes Bella smile like a fool.

"Oh, she's like me. I'm so touched."Alice puts her soft marble-white hand at Bella's stomach – that's, by the way, not really looking like a third month pregnant-belly. But Bella knows why she hasn't gotten that big; she's normally so skinny that she looks like a normal 18 year old girl with this little but defined bulge of a baby bump. But she's not complaining at all. Not even a bit actually. This just gives her more time to postpone everybody finding out.

Edward opens the door of Bella's truck and takes her in his arms to put her on the passenger seat.

"Edward, I'm pregnant, not handicapped. What will you do with me when I'm in the eighth or ninth month if you go around carrying me in the third?"She laughs at his behaviour and Edward smiles at her.

"Oh, by that time, you'll be bedridden full-time at our house."

Bella crosses her arms and gives him a grumpy look."This is so unfair. What hard parts do you get out of this pregnancy? You don't throw up every morning, you don't have to get huge and give _birth_, breastfeed…"She lists on her fingers. "And on top of that be bedridden for who knows how long."

He laughs at her and strokes her cheek with his soft ice-cold hand."You're right, and I'm truly sorry for that. I wish I could do all of that instead of you, but I can't."Edward looks at her with sympathy in his eyes. He really means what he says and that makes her in a little better mood. That's something she will have to get used to. _Mood swings_.

Suddenly Bella starts to grin and Edward looks at her with a raised eyebrow. "What are _you_ laughing about?"

She reveals her teeth into a big smile and Edward raises his other eyebrow too.

"I just imagined you pregnant. Ha-ha."

He bursts into laughter without saying anything.

"I think I, on the other hand, will look kind of hot with a big pregnant-belly." Bella smiles contentedly and starts to grin again.

"Of course you will, honey. You always look hot."He grins too, but unlike Bella he doesn't consider it a joke. She wonders how a beautiful and gorgeous man like Edward could ever see someone like her _hot_. But then again, that's what makes Edward so special. He sees the unique in the most regular boring people. Like Bella…

They pull into the driveway outside Bella's house and park next to Charlie's old miserable blue police car.

"So, you ready?"Edward looks at her anxiously. This is probably the first time she's ever seen _him_ nervous.

"Not really, but what other choice do we have?"

They go through the door and take off their shoes and jackets. Edward gives Bella a comforting look and they go to the living room.

"Dad?"

"I'm up here, Bells."The strained voice comes from upstairs. "I'm trying to put this IKEA-furniture together but I seem to have lost the instructions…"It sounds like he doesn't really know what he's doing.

"Okay, can you come down for a sec?"She hears how serious she sounds, but in that way, Charlie might just think something's happened and will be relieved when he finds out she's just pregnant. _Just _pregnant…

"Uhm… Okay. Sure, hon."It seems to take an eternity for Charlie to walk down the stairs. And do the creaks always sound so awfully loud?

"Oh. Hi Edward! I didn't realize you were here."Charlie smiles at Edward, who smiles back but looks stiff. They shake hands and Bella wonders if Charlie doesn't feel how cold Edward's hand is.

"Charlie."Edward has finally learned to say that instead of Chief Swan.

Charlie switches his gaze from Edward to Bella, probably wondering why he was called down.

"Come, sit down." Bella makes a gesture towards the couch and Charlie sits down, raising his eyebrows, while Bella and Edward still stand behind the couch holding hands. Charlie's eyes go big. "I'm starting to get worried here. Everything okay?"

Bella looks at Edward who nods in confirmation.

It's time. She takes a deep breath. "Uhm… Depends on how oppose to becoming a grandpa you are…?"

When he doesn't react, more than to frown, she continues."Dad, I'm pregnant… _We're_ pregnant."Edward presses her hand harder without even thinking of letting go of it.

"You're what, again…?"Charlie chokes, while he looks at Bella, with eyes even bigger than before.

She tries to understand his expression. Is he angry? Disappointed? Happy?

"Pregnant… You know, with a baby…"She gives him a gentle smile, unfortunately without getting one back.

Charlie looks at her incomprehensible. After a couple of quiet seconds, that seemed more like a couple of hours, he opens his mouth. "Oh, hmm…uhm, for how… long?"He scratches his forehead.

"Three months…" Bella answers, and literally hopes to God this will be over soon. These are exactly the kinds of question she finds extremely uncomfortable answering.

"And you got married…?" Charlie wonders and looks at Edward and Bella accusingly. Bella's cheeks immediately turn scarlet red. Gosh, does he have to make it an interview?

She can't make a sound so this time Edward, who hasn't said a word for what feels like an eternity – okay, a minute or so, but still – answers with his dark but velvety voice. "Three months ago…"

_Wow, _there's_ an awkward silence._

Why not just say the baby was conceived on Isle Esme only a couple hours after the Las Vegas ceremony?

"Okay… And what are you going to do about it?"Charlie draws his thin hair back.

And that was all it took. Bella's eyebrows are not far from vertical now and her fists were tightly clenched. She can only imagine what color her face was. "What are you talking about?"Fury-sparks flying in her eyes. "I'm not having an abortion if that's what you expect! We're both 18, you know." Well, practically… Edward's still-seventeen-being is not the point in this argument.

"And married," she adds. "Even if this baby wasn't planned, that doesn't mean we're not happy ab–"

"Bella…"Edward interrupts her and tries to calm her down by putting his hand on her back as smoothly as possible with those stone hands of his. She just realizes how loud and pissed she sounds.

Charlie looks at her, obviously confused. "Bella, what are you talking about? I don't expect you to have an abortion. I don't _want_ you to. I would never. Why would you think that? And of course I understand that you two are happy about it, so am I."

"You are?"As soon as her ears receive those last three words Bella bursts into tears, who all get wiped away by a smooth touch of Edward's soft marble-hand.

She sits down next to Charlie in the couch and hugs him. Edward places himself next to Bella, still holding her hand.

Charlie smiles at Edward and then Bella. "Of course I am, Bells. I'm going to be a grandfather!" He practically beams as he says the last word. _Grandfather_.

"What I meant was that none of you two have a job and you're both in high school. Are you going to move in together?"

Edward smiles at Bella and answers Charlie's question with a bit proudness in his voice. "It's all clear. We've thought about everything."

They tell Charlie all about their plans. That Bella will move in with the Cullen's in a couple ofweeks so Edward can be there for Bella around the clock. And that they will graduate high school together. That, in the summer, Edward will work with Carlisle at Fork's hospital – which might not be exactly true... (If Charlie only knew how rich the Cullens was… No need for anyone else but Carlisle to work there. But, Bella just has a feeling Charlie won't like the idea of Carlisle and Esme paying for everything.)

They also tell him that meanwhile, Alice and Rosalie will stay home taking care of Bella, considering she'll be seven months pregnant by then.

"…And after the baby's born, Edward and I – and the baby, of course – will move in to the little house in the Cullen's yard."Bella takes over without interrupting Edward. She smiles proudly because of the way it all sorted out so well.

"Oh, you've really thought about everything. I'm proud of you. But it will be quiet when you're not around, Bella."Charlie strokes Bella's head.

She wipes away a few tears Edward's hand missed earlier."Well, I'll only be a couple of miles away."

After Bella's fallen asleep in Edward's arms, he puts a blanket over her and tucks her in, and then he runs home.


	3. Chap 2: Oh my God!

**Chapter 2**

**Oh my God!**

When Bella wakes up in the couch she feels a little dizzy. She looks at the watch on her wrist. 6 o'clock.

"Damn it! I was going to be at the Cullen's by now." Bella rushes up from the couch and makes an attempt to brush her hair – that stands out in all directions – with her hand.

"Oh, sorry, Bells. I didn't know you we're going there tonight." Charlie looks up from the paper with his glasses on the tip of his nose. "Otherwise I'd woken you up."

"Oh, it's okay. I'm having a girls' night with Alice and Rosalie. I should probably call them. I'm just going to change clothes first." She rushes up the stairs and tries to find something wearable in the big pile of clothes on the floor.

In the bottom, she finds a jeans skirt and a white short-sleeved blouse that she's been wanting to wear for weeks. And now, when she doesn't have anything to hide anymore, she can. _That'll do_, she thinks to herself, but she knows Charlie will think it's way to inappropriate for the cold January weather outside, but it's the only of her nice clothes that still fits. And besides, she _is_ going to wear a jacket over.

Without even looking in a mirror, she goes downstairs, into the living room. She's just about to call Alice when Charlie comes in from the kitchen. "Bella, have you s…" He chokes on the last word, and stares at her leg. Was it that bad, her outfit? Maybe she should have looked in a mirror after all…

"Oh my God, Bella! Is that…blood?"

She raises her eyebrows and follows Charlie's gaze to her left leg. The blood running down her leg has already formed a big red-brown stain on the white carpet. She puts her hand to her mouth. If Bella wouldn't have known better she would have thought it was her period. But she does know better.

The dizziness dawns on her. She can't control her body anymore and she cannot longer breathe. Before she knows it, she has collapsed on the carpet. She's trying to keep her eyes open as she hears Charlie's distant worried voice talking to someone on the phone. She knows exactly who.

"_It's Bella, she's collapsed, she's bleeding from her... You have to come, I don't know what do, please come." _

"Edward, our baby girl…"is the last thingBella is able to utter beforeshe can't keep her eyes open any longer and falls into a deep dreamless sleep.

Heaven isn't what Bella expected at all. She doesn't feel relieved, there's just too much she's leaving behind. Charlie, Renée, _Edward_… mostly Edward.

_How can I be dead? How could I do this to Edward? And our baby girl? I've killed my baby girl__… _The thoughts spin around in her head. Her chest, that has been full for so long now, has a big whole in it again. But this time, it's bigger than ever.

"_Bella? Can you hear me? Bella?"_She recognizes the voice as fast as she hears it. The beautiful, amazing, touching… and unexpected voice.

"Edward? Are you dead to? You didn't kill yourself, did you?"Her voice sounds confused and dull. Her eyes are still closed.

"Oh Bella, thank God! No, I'm not dead. And neither are you. But it was close…"

She opens her eyes and looks around. She recognizes the white, big room, just as she recognized _his _voice. She's been here a lot. Fork's hospital. She's not dead, just hurt. Typical Bella.

Her gaze gets stuck at Edward who sits on a chair next to the bed she's lying in. He's leaning over her with his hands around her face.

"Edward, are you crying? I didn't think you could cry."She finds it hard to make sound coming out of her mouth. She's exhausted even though she must have been asleep for quite a while now.

Edward lifts up her hand and kisses it softly. "I thought I couldn't either, but you bring out so much in me."His smile disappears. "I've been so worried, Bella…"

"I'm alive."She tries to smile, but it looks strained. She wonders what really happened. She only remembers collapsing.

"What's wrong with me?"Just as the words come out of her mouth she remembers bleeding. _Oh no, the baby_. She starts to panic."Oh my god, our baby girl!"

She knows that even though it's not a question, Edward will answer it, and she's not sure she wants to hear it.

Edward grimaces."Bella, your placenta broke."

"What does that mean?" The panic shows evident in her eyes.

"It means the baby is okay now, but both she and you could have died. I could have come just a minute later or so, and you'd be dead by now… and the baby too…"

With the innumerable questions in her head, Bella doesn't know where to begin. As if Edward could read her minds – which she almost starts to believe he can by now – he begins to answer a couple of them.

"Charlie called me and I ran to your home as fast as I could. He had already called an ambulance by the time I got there, but you were weak and you kept whispering my name and 'baby girl'. It was just too hard. I couldn't wait for the paramedics to show up." He pauses but continues. "So I ran here, but Charlie doesn't know that of course, he thinks I took your truck."

He continues to answer the questions in Bella's head, one after another.

"The odds were very low, because somehow it's been broken for quite a while now without you noticing it, but you had a surgery…and you made it."Edward stares into her eyes. He kisses her and places his hand on her belly gently. As soon as he does that, the baby starts kicking.

They smile at each other but Edward immediately turns serious. "Promise you'll never make me that scared again."

Bella kisses him and looks him deeply and passionately – but at the same time seriously – in his eyes. "You know I can't do that. But I _can_ promise to always fight this hard for my survival, if I do end up in a situation like this again." _Cause, believe me, it's not unlikely to happen…_

"Okay, good enough."He contends with her answer and starts to laugh. Bella joins in.

They see the door open and Alice walks in. "Bella! You're awake! Oh my god, I've been so worr –"

"Alice, get your butt over here!"Bella interrupts her with a big smile on her face. Alice is in her arms half a second later.

"I'll go get Charlie and Renée. Wait here, Bella."

"Where would I go?"Bella jokes, but Alice slips out the door and pretends not to hear – even though she would hear if Bella so whispered the lowest she could.

"Wait… Did she just say Renée's here?"She just realizes Alice's words.

Edward nods."Charlie called her."

"So she knows too?"_This can't be good._

"Bella! Honey, are you okay?" Renée walks in just when Edward is about to answer.

"Hi, mom! I'm fine."

They hug each other and Renée looks at Bella's stomach and makes a gesture towards it.

"And the … baby?"

"She's fine too…"She tries to think of a way to make her less guilty, but without any luck."Look, mom, I'm really sorry I didn't tell you."Bella bites her lip and tries to look innocent.

Renée smiles at her forgivingly."It's okay, hon. But I have to admit, I was kind of shocked when Charlie called and told me your placenta had broken. He thought you'd told me."

"Sorry…" Bella bites her lip again.

"As long as you're safe, honey", Renée says and strokes her cheek.

Edward and Renée are sitting in the waiting room, when Renée looks at him andexamines his expression."So, how do _you_ feel about this, Edward? I mean the baby…I know Bella's happy."

He looks in to Bella – who's lying wrapped up in what must be at least five blankets, sleeping – through the glass door and smiles. He turns towards Renée."I'm very happy too, of course. But you know, worried…"

She looks into his – today – pitch dark eyes and thinks for a couple of seconds. "Edward, Bella's had a lot of accidents. She's been living in Forks for a year now and she's been here at the hospital more than a regular person visits a hospital in a lifetime… And she will probably come here again. Many times."

"Oh, comforting…"Edward mumbles barley audibly, while staring at the floor. Renée laughs at him."My point is… She always turns out fine. If there's anything I've learned from being Bella's mom, it's that I don't have to worry about her. Though she may get a broken placenta, she _always_ turns out fine. So don't worry, okay?" Renée softly puts her hand on Edward's back and strokes it comfortingly.

He manages to pull up his lips into a smile but there's no happiness in his eyes."You're right. She is strong. I almost start to believe there's nothing she can't handle, you know?"

"Almost. The only thing that could ever break her is if anything would happen to you or the baby."

It gets quiet. After a minute Edward opens his mouth. "She told me she was willing to sacrifice her life for me. Can you believe that?"

Renée looks at him like she's thinking about what she's going to say. After a couple of seconds she answers. "Well, aren't _you_ willing to sacrifice _your _life for Bella?"

He responds quickly."Of course I am. But that's not the same thing."

"Oh, yes it is."She looks into his eyes accusingly."Edward, why do I get the feeling that you blame yourself for this? You know, you we're practically the one who saved her. "

"So what if I saved her? That doesn't change the fact that I did this to her…"he whispers and puts his head between his legs**.**

"You're right, you did this to her. You did this wonderful thing to her. You gave her the most beautiful gift anyone could ever give another person."She pauses but continues."Bella won't feel better by you blaming yourself, that's the last thing she needs right now and you know that, as well."

When Edward doesn't respond, Renée changes subject."So I heard Bella talking about the baby as a 'she' before. It's a girl?"

"We're not sure, but you know, her mothers' instincts", Edward lies, but his acting is good enough to convince Renée. Well, why _wouldn't_ that be convincing? Why wouldn't she believe him? Is there any reason for her to suspect that it isn't Bella's mothers instincts that made them sure about the sex at all? That it in fact is Edward's vampire sister, Alice, who saw into the future that it was a girl? Yes, there is a reason. A very big reason – the fact that it's true. But Renée doesn't know that and will hopefully, for her own good, never find out.


	4. Chap 3: Annoying sister

**Chapter 3**

**Annoying sister**

Alice opens the door and walks in. She smiles at Bella and walks towards her.

"Hi, Bella. Do you feel any better?"

Alice stands next to Edward and puts her hand on his back.

"I will if you tell me the name of baby."She smiles to be more convincing, but really she's a little irritated with Alice. Why can't she just say the name, already?

"Bella, you know I can't do that."Alice looks at her and gives her a motherly lecturing glance.

"Sure, you can. It's my baby and my decision. I decide that you can tell me."

"No, Bella. You're not supposed to know the name. You shouldn't know those kinds of things just because your sister can see into future. And besides, that wouldn't be any fun for me, would it? I just can't wait to se the look on your faces when you come up with it."By the look on Alice face, she's very excited about it, but by now, Bella's too angry to give Alice her fun.

"What makes you think you'll be there?"

"Duh, I can see into the future. I know I'll be there."

Bella doesn't answer, she just gives Alice a grumpy look.

"Oh, no worries, Bella. It's a really cute name, I promise."

"Argh! Edward, we are so going to name her after Rosalie."

"Oh, Bella, you're so adorable with your hormonal mood." Alice giggles.

Bella just remembers what she and Edward had talked about – how she could make Alice tell her.

"Okay, it's your choice. But then I won't tell you about the honeymoon. Don't you remember, you wanted to know so badly?"

Edward rolls his eyes and sighs. "Girls…"

Both Alice and Bella ignore him.

"Bella, Bella, Bella. What makes you think I didn't see that in my visions?"

"What? Then, why the hell are you going on about me telling you about it?"

"I just want to see you blush, of course", she teases. She looks at Bella's scarlet red cheeks and laughs. "And clearly… it works."

Suddenly Bella bursts in tears.

"God, Alice. Did you have to make her upset? You're so annoying sometimes, you know that?" Edward looks at his sister angrily and walks towards Bella, but Alice pushes him away and lies down next to Bella in the big hospital bed.

"Oh, Bella. You shouldn't be ashamed of blushing. Do you now what I would do to be able to blush every once in a while?"

"That's not why I'm crying, Alice. I'm crying because I'm fat and because I miss my best friend. And on top of that, I can't even know the name of my own baby", Bella howls and Alice pats her head comforting.

"I'm sorry, Bella, I'm not gonna tell you the name, but I can help you with the dog-part of you're breakdown."

"What do you mean?" Bella looks up from the pillow, where she's been hiding her face.

"Well, you have a visitor", Alice says and makes a gesture against the doorway.

"Jacob…?", Bella whispers as she sees him.

He walks towards her and smiles. "Hi."

"We'll leave you two alone, so you can talk", Edward says and drags Alice out of the bed. "Come on, Alice."

As Edward and Alice leave the room, Jacob sits down on the bed.

"How are you?" He looks at her with concerns all over his face.

"Fine, I guess." She smiles to lighten up the mood.

"Oh, and congratulations, by the way." He points at her belly and forces a smile.

"Thanks, Jake. For that and for coming. I needed this." She stops but continues. "I've missed you, you know."

"I know, I've missed you too."

"Can't we be friends, like we used to be?" she pleads.

"It's too hard, Bells. You made your choice and you chose the bloodsucker."

He's on his way out when he turns back to her. "I'm glad you're okay, though." And then he disappears.


	5. Chap 4: NewinForksflashback

Hope ya like cliffhangers! Enjoy. :)

**Chapter 4**

**New-in-Forks-flashback**

Bella settles next to Edward in his huge bed as they've just come home from the hospital.

"What are you thinking about?" Edward turns against Bella and tries to examine her expression.

"Nothing really…", she says and shrugs.

"I would have exchange my ability to hear _everyone_ else's thoughts just to hear yours. And you know why that is?", he asks, but without giving her a chance to answer, he answers it himself. "Your thoughts are the only ones that matter to me and it kills me that I can't hear them."

"You wanna know what I'm thinking right now?" She whispers as her fingers explore his lips.

"I thought that was obvious." His mouth pulls up into the crooked smiles that Bella loves so much.

A minute passes without anyone saying anything. And then Bella opens her mouth. "I'm thinking about when I will become one of you. When will I?"

"You are one of us, honey. You're a Cullen." Edward looks into her eyes and wraps one of her silky brown curls round his finger.

"You know that's not what I meant", Bella says seriously, still whispering.

"Bella, are you sure you still want to be changed after you've had this baby?"

She looks at his face, trying to figure out what he means, but he just looks pensive.

"What do you mean am I sure? I've wanted to become a vampire since I found out you were one." The words come out quickly. She doesn't want him to think she's having doubts. He'd never let her become a vampire if that was the case.

"Bella, if you'll be a newborn and our daughter will be half human that might be –"

"What exactly are you saying, Edward? That I might be a danger to my own child?" Bella interrupts him and gives him an insulted and angry glance.

"As much as I hate to say it – yes," he admits and places one of his hands on Bella's cheek, but Bella removes it and looks away.

Edward continues. "I don't know for sure, of course, but why would you be an exception? Why would you as a newborn be able to be around humans without killing them, when no other newborn is?" Edward asks her without expecting an answer.

_What is he saying?_ Bella hasn't thought too much of it, but she wouldn't be a possible danger to her own child, would she? No, that was just silly. Of course she wouldn't.

"Edward, do you honestly believe that I would try to kill my own daughter?" she yells at him and gets out of the bed to sit on the floor instead.

"Hey, guys, can I come in?" Their brother interrupts them from the hallway outside of Edward's room.

"Sure, Emmett." Bella sighs and gives Edward another angry glance before looking towards the doorway.

"So I couldn't help but overhear…" Emmett explains as he walks in.

"Sure you weren't just eavesdropping?" Bella grumbles as she looks at him.

"What? No…Never!" he says, trying not to sound guilty. "Oh, what the hell, yeah I did", he admits.

Edward sighs at their hopeless brother. "What do you want, Em?"

"Um, I kinda agree with Bella this time, bro." He looks towards Edward and probably says sorry in his mind.

"Thanks a lot for helping me out. I thought you if anyone would be on my side,_ bro._" Edward looks at Emmett like he just betrayed him. "Now, get out." He meaninglessly tries to push his older and stronger brother out through the door, but Emmett doesn't move an inch.

"Hey, I'm Bella's brother just as much as yours", he complains as he tries to push Edward away – but unlike Edward, Emmett actually succeeds. "And I think she's right this time", he goes on.

Bella smiles at Emmett and mouths the words:_Thank you, Em._

"Guys, can we come in too?" they hear Alice's impatient voice outside the door.

"You were all eavesdropping?" Edward sighs and shakes his head to himself.

"Kinda, yeah." Rosalie confesses honestly as she walks into the room.

"Edward, we're all on Bella's side this time. Sorry." Alice says softly and looks at Edward as if to check to see if he's angry with her.

"I could have seen this coming from Rosalie." Edward says, still sitting on the bed.

"Hey, what's that suppose to mean?" Rosalie protests but Edward ignores his irritating sister and continues. "…But from you, Alice? And Emmett? _Jasper_? Especially you, Jasper. Youknow how hard it was as to be a newborn."

Jasper looks at him and thinks for a couple of seconds before he answers. "Edward, we just honestly don't believe Bella could harm her baby. She's not like other people, she's unique. You'd think that you of all would know that since she's like the only person who's mind you can't read. And besides – newborns as mothers don't really occur that often, so we don't know how being a mother would affect the whole newborn-thinking towards the child."

"It means a lot that you believe in me, Jazz. And you guys too." Bella smiles widely at her siblings, but when she looks at Edward, the smile fades away. "Especially since my husband doesn't." She speaks through clenched teeth.

"Well, do you believe in me, Bella? Because then, you would have at least _tried_ to listen to what I've got to say." Edward mutters.

Bella crosses her arms and looks away from Edward. He really knows how to get her in a bad mood. "Well, then… _talk_."

"Well, you wouldn't want to hurt your baby, would you?" Edward grumbles from the bed.

"It's actually kind of offending how little you trust me, Edward", Bella yells with a quivering voice, before running out of the room and slamming the door.

Edward runs after and finds her in the bathroom, sitting against the wall on the floor, crying with her head in her hands. He places himself next to her on the floor to embrace her.

"You know that I trust you, Bella." Though she hears it everyday she can't help but get surprised by his mellow, velvety, dark and beautiful voice. She catches herself wondering if he sounded like this as a human or if it's a part of the whole vampire-beauty-thing.

"More than anyone", he whispers with his soft, ice cold lips touching her cheek.

"So why..?" Bella starts but stops when Edward opens his mouth.

"I don't know how to explain this, Bella, but I'll give it a try…" His gaze gets stuck on her hand resting on her slightly rounded belly, and he puts his hand on hers. "It's not that I think _you'd _ever hurt our child, Bella… But you might not be the same _you _when you're a newborn. And I'm not saying that the newborn-you would be a danger for the baby either, but if anything for some reason _would_ happen, you'd be unhappy. And I'd hate for that to happen."

Bella looks up into his eyes. "How do you do it?" she breathes and sighs.

"Do what?" He looks at her inquiringly.

"Well, you must be like the _only_ man on earth to manage to get out of that," she laughs.

He smiles at her and chuckles. "So I'm forgiven?"

"For that answer you're more than forgiven", she assures and goes on. "I actually feel guilty for scolding and yelling at you like that. I see your point now. But I still stand by the decision of becoming a vampire. A lifetime with you just isn't enough."

Edward pulls her closer to himself and sighs. "What did I do to deserve you?" he asks quietly.

"What did _I_ do to deserve _you_?" Bella replies and kisses him on his neck, when the bathroom-door suddenly opens and Alice walks in. With her empty expression she looks devastated and it's not hard to see that if she could cry, she definitely would.

"Alice, what's wrong?" Bella asks anxiously as soon as she gets up on her feet.

Edward stands up, as well, and walks towards Alice. She looks like she's going into chock and when she doesn't answer, Edward shakes her. "Alice?" he squeals.

Alice wakes up from the chock and looks at Bella and then Edward. She finally opens her mouth. "It's Esme…" she whispers quietly, but audibly enough for Bella and Edward to perceive what she says.


	6. Chap 5: Blank

**Chapter 5**

**Blank**

Neither Bella nor Edward can speak. Not only because they're too shocked to even open their mouths, but also because they're both afraid of what Alice will answer if they ask. But they have to know.

By the time Edward finally manages to say something, the thoughts have been spinning around in Bella's heads for what feels like an eternity. _What _about_ Esme? Is she okay?_

"What do you mean, Alice?" Edward's voice is hard and not as gentle and mellow as it usually is. "What_ about_ Esme?" He almost screams out the words – the exact words that are in Bella's head too – but he doesn't sound angry, he sounds worried. Very worried.

Alice looks at them both without any facial expression what so ever. Earlier you could at least_ see_ that she devastated, but now you can't tell how she feels at all. She just looks… empty, blank. Alice? Blank? Alice, the-most-energyfull-happy-frisky-bubbly-person-in-the-world-Alice looks blank?

Alice interrupts Bella's thoughts by answering Edward. "We… we can't find her."

Blank.

Blank in Bella's head.

Thoughts? Nothing. Zero. Noll.

It's a miracle she even manages to sink down on the floor.

"What do you _mean _you can't find her?" Edward looks just as blank as Alice and Bella.

"…Carlisle smelled the scent of something. It wasn't a vampire or a werewolf … It was something else. And now we can't find Esme anywhere…" The words don't come out as naturally and easy as usually from Alice's mouth. She doesn't sing when she talk.

Bella and Edward look at each other without saying anything.

"Why didn't I see this in my visions?" Alice mumbles quietly to herself. "It's all my fault…I could have stopped it from happening if I just saw…" She interrupts herself and runs out through the room before Bella can tell her that 'No, Alice, how can you say something like that? Of course it's not your fault!'. Because, no, it's definitely not.

They hear a distant sound of Jasper comforting her out in the hallway.

Bella looks at Edward. She wants to say something, but she doesn't know what. What can you possibly say in a situation like this? 'I'm sorry'? No, that doesn't sound right. But she is. She is sorry, not only for Edward's sake. For her own, for Carlisle's… for Esme's.

"Edward…?" Her voice is so quivery that a human wouldn't be able to perceive it.

She pulls herself up from the floor and puts her hand on his back. It takes a couple of seconds for him to react, but when he does, he puts his arms around her in a big embrace. As soon as he does that, Bella bursts into tears.

"Edward…" she sobs. "What are we gonna do?"

"Sch, Bella. It's going to be fine. We'll find her", he assures her with an attempt to comfort her, but his voice is so non-convincing that she almost feels worse. _He's_ not supposed to be losing hope.

She wipes away the tears and tries to think of something else to not break down. This is not what Edward needs right now. His mother is missing and he has to comfort his girlfriend? Why is _he_ comforting _her_, again? Isn't it supposed to be the other way around? It's_ his_ mother. But then again, Esme's always been like another mother to Bella as well. She's always there if you want to talk. Always. So will she be there in the future to talk to? Bella doesn't even want to go there, 'cause what if she won't? She shakes off the scary thoughts and tries to focus on how they'll find Esme instead.

"We have to do something, Edward. _Now_."

"And we will", he assures and looks deeply into her eyes as if to show that he really means it. "We'll do everything that's in our power."

Bella can't stop hoping he means that literally – a family consisting of vampires must have quite some power, right?

They go downstairs to find the whole family – with one exception… – in the living room, everybody looking truly unhappy.

Emmett is walking back and forth. It shows clearly that he's going through some possible theories. What was it Carlisle had smelled the scent of and _where is Esme?_

Jasper's is sitting in the couch, comforting Alice, who's lying in his lap, looking all devastated again. At least she doesn't look blank anymore. That was seriously one of the most frightening things Bella have ever been through – seeing Alice so blank and empty – and Bella's been through _a lot_. Not least almost getting killed by three vampires, at three various times. That includes one actually biting her. She shudders just the thought of James. Well, it's a good thing he's dead. And that he brought Victoria and Laurent with him… _to hell_.

Jasper keeps telling Alice over and over again that it isn't her fault. "You can't help it if your ability is a little weak at the moment, honey."

But that only upsets Alice more. "What do you mean weak? Like fading of? I'm losing my ability…?" She mumbles the last part to herself as if she doesn't want the others to think that she's upset about that right now – when there's so much more to be upset about.

Carlisle sits in the armchair with his elbows on the table in front of him and his hands on his head. Bella has never seen him like this. The always so happy and vivid Carlisle…

Rosalie is squatting on the floor in front of him, patting his back. But she doesn't say anything. Bella guesses she doesn't want to make things worse by saying something stupid. It's probably for the best just to be quiet anyway, so everyone can think and try to take it in.

So instead of asking Carlisle or her siblings about what exactly happened, Bella brings Edward into the kitchen to ask him. He has probably heard the whole story in his family's minds.

"Esme was out in the garden…" he begins with a low voice. "…and Carlisle was here in the kitchen when he smelled the scent of something he had never smelled before. It was a living being, but neither a vampire, human or animal…or werewolf." He clenches his fists at the last word. He must be thinking of a particular werewolf. Jacob, for example... Edward's furious at Jacob for not wanting to be Bella's friend anymore. Not that he misses having him around, but he's hurting Bella by not being.

After calming down for a moment Edward continues. "Carlisle went to check on Esme in the garden, but he couldn't find her. He's been looking for here all over Forks, Seattle and even Port Angeles… But she's nowhere to be found…" He speaks lower and lower for every word.

"So if it wasn't a vampire Carlisle smelled it can't be the Volturis, right?" That her voice cracks at the word '_Volturis_' isn't really helping her hiding her anxiety.

"Probably not. Unless they sent someone…something – a monster or whatever – for her. We don't even know if it was planned or if it was a coincidence. That Esme was at the wrong place, the wrong time…"

Bella takes Edward's hand in hers. "We gotta keep looking for her, Edward."

He presses so hard in Bella's hand that it hurts. The usually so cautious Edward… He's not himself… But on the other hand, can she blame him, given what's happened?

"Yes, Bella. We will. I told you, we won't stop until we've done everything that's in our power. I Promise." It makes her feel a little better that he at least sounds a little positive.

"Well then we better start." Bella forces back the tears. _Before it's too late_. The last part she doesn't say out loud, she doesn't have to, she knows it's what Edward is thinking too, anyway. And besides, it's always worse to say it out loud than just thinking it. It's like you finally admit it to yourself. Maybe it doesn't make it worse all the time, but it definitely doesn't make it better.

They go back to the living room and the family. They are all at the same places as they were before – probably haven't moved an inch.

Bella and Edward stand in front of them as to say something, but they don't seem to react.

Edward is the one to break the silence. "Are you seriously just gonna sit here?" Still no reactions. "What's the matter with you?" he yells as he makes a gesture towards them.

When they still don't answer, Bella wants to back Edward up and help him out, but she can't think of anything to say. Instead, Edward continues.

"We have to do something!" His voice is harsh, and his eyes are even harsher when he looks at his siblings and father knowingly.

"Well, what _can_ we do?" Rosalie suddenly exclaims out of nowhere, with a voice so sad and hurt. Bella feels a hit from inside of her, but it's not from her stomach this time, it's from her chest. She puts her hand against her heart to relieve the pain. Not the damn hole again…

Rosalie gets up from her squatting-position and continues before no one has been able to answer. "All we can do is to stay home, so we'll be here if she comes back." The whole family looks at her with aversion at the word 'if' "Uhm, _when _she comes back…" she hurries to correct herself, but she doesn't sound hopeful at all. Has she already given up hope?

"Yeah." Emmett concurs. He speaks with a bland and non-saying tone. "And besides, you smelled the scent of something, Carlisle, right?" He stops to let Carlisle say something but he doesn't react so instead Emmett continues. "So, she's probably not alone…" he declares quietly.

Bella and Edward are the only ones able to stay at least a little positive. "Maybe so", Edward begins. "But sitting here isn't gonna bring her back, is it?" He almost sounds angry and Bella doesn't blame him. What's up with the family? Why aren't they doing anything to get her back? It's Esme for crying out loud! Why the hell do Edward and Bella have to talk them into this? Why doesn't it come naturally to them? It's not like they care any less about Esme than Bella and Edward do.

Bella gives Edward a tearful look that says 'what are we gonna do?'. He understands the look and shrugs in response. He apparently doesn't know the answer to that question either.

She thinks for a moment. What if Bella and Edward would look for Esme by themselves? Just one problem… Edward would never let Bella come with him if there's no one more than him there to protect her. And it's not like she'd ever let him go by himself... _Argh, why being unhelpful today of all days, bloodsuckers?_ That was a first – Bella calling her family bloodsuckers… Well, with the exceptions of Edward and Esme, of course.

She wakes up from her thoughts when she comes up with the idea of sounding positive. Will that help? She will try as soon as she's able to open her mouth – which amazingly enough only takes about three seconds.

"We have to look for her. And we can even talk to Jacob and the pack, they can help us. And Tanya!" Bella does succeed in sounding positive and encouraging despite her anxiety. "You guys have a lot of friends who would be more than willing to help us. Especially since it's Esme we're talking about." Yes, especially since it's Esme. Everybody loves the loving, warm, wonderful Esme.

_Still_ no reactions. Does she have to get angry and scream for them to give in? _Give in_…

"You guys aren't usually the ones to give up until you've done everything you can, let alone give up before doing anything! What would Esme think if she knew you weren't even _trying_ to find her?" Everybody looks up at Bella surprised. They're not used to her yelling at them.

"She's right." Carlisle gets up from the armchair. "She's right, of course we'll look for Esme." He gives Bella a thankful look. "Thank you, Bella. I'm sorry for my behaviour."

Well, that was about freaking time.


	7. Chap 6: Searching

**Chapter 6**

**Searching**

**Bella**** looks out through the car window. It has started to rain and the sky is dark gray. She looks at her watch. 4 p.m. They've been driving for almost an hour. **

** She throws a glance against Edward, who sits next to her, in the driver's seat. He smiles gently at her **–** they have finally gotten their siblings and father to help them look for Esme **–** but if you look into his eyes you see that they show everything but happiness. They look like they're going to overflow with tears any second – obviously they're not teary, since he can't cry, but it's clearly shown that he's very anxious and wounded. And he's not alone to feel that way. **

** "We're here", Carlisle informs them from the backseat. He definitely sounds a lot happier than earlier, for some reason. Has he gotten hope that they'll find Esme or is he just as pessimistic as the rest of the family in the backseat and pretends to be positive? Bella hopes for the former, but if the latter **–** he really is a good actor. **

** She looks out through the window a last time before she gets out of the car. To Bella's surprise, they're in a forest. A big, green, wet – surprisingly enough, ha-ha – forest. Did they agree to meet in a forest? Probably the werewolves' idea **–** anything to blend in if they come in shape as wolves.**

** She opens the door and hops out of the car. "Gee, Bella. Careful! Pregnant, remember?" Edward hurries out of the car and rushes to the other side, where Bella stands, rolling her eyes. "Don't be so overprotective, Edward."**

**"As if I could be anything else with your clumsiness", Edward smirks and winks at Bella.**

**"Yea, your clumsiness and being pregnant **– not the best combo**." Emmett chuckles as he gets out of backseat, followed by his wife, Alice, Jasper and Carlisle. Everybody – yes, amazingly enough even Alice – smiles. **

** Without even trying, Bella and Edward have lightened up the mood. Good, they could really need to get a little cheered up right now. All of them.**

** "The pack should be here any minute now", Edward assures as he takes the backpack – with warm clothes and food in it, for the only human of course – from the backseat and puts his arms through it.**

** "I'd say second", a well-known voice suddenly utters. Bella's surprisingly enough the first to turn around – even though she's the only one with human reaction ability – to catch sight of the whole pack. Sam, Paul, Jared, Quil, Embry, Seth, Leah. And of course, Jacob – the owner of the well-known voice. **

** So they didn't come as wolves. Then what's up with the agreement to meet in the forest?**

** Jacob doesn't look at Bella a single time during the long seconds they all stand there quietly – even though she tries her hardest to make eye contact.**

** After what must have been at least a minute without anyone saying anything, the pack-leader Sam, opens his mouth. "Shall we get to the point and start looking for your family member?" he asks, but it sounds more like a statement than a question. And just as Bella thought, he doesn't wait for an answer before making a gesture towards his pack to follow him, as he starts walking towards Bella and the rest of the Cullen's. **

** Sam once again opens his mouth. "Or shall we wait for your other friends to show up?"**

**Jacob reacts to the word "other" by frowning. Bella can just imagine what he's thinking. ****_Other friends, yeah right. As if we're their_****_friends._**

**Jacob looks away when he realizes that everybody – werewolves as vampires… and human – have their eyes directed towards him. Everybody switch their gazes from Jacob to Carlisle, as he hawks to get attention.**

** "I suppose you are referring to the Denalis by what you are calling 'friends'…?" Carlisle states as nicely as possible, but both his voice and face shows clear signs of betrayal. **

** That the Denalis **–** Kate, Tanya, Irina, Carmen, Eleazar and Garrett **–** wouldn't help them look for Esme had come as a chock for the Cullen's, not least for Bella. '****_Why?' _****they all had wondered, but as Carlisle had talked to Tanya and begged for their help on the phone, she had just answered 'I'm sorry, we can't help you.' Whatever she meant by that. **

** "Yes, won't they join us?" Sam wonders confused. **

** When Carlisle doesn't answer – even though the question is clearly meant for him (it's a leader-to-leader-thing) – Edward looks at him, as if to get a sign that it's okay that he answers instead. **

** When Carlisle nods, Edward declares to the pack that the Denalis couldn't come. A lie. They could come. They didn't ****_want_**** to come.**

**"Okay, so I guess we'll start then?"Again, more a statement than a question. Sam probably gets the********hints **reluctantly** coming **from Carlisle **– **that he's in too much pain to even open his mouth.

They all agree with Sam and start to divide themselves into pairs. First the werewolves. Jacob and Leah are going to Port Angeles. Seth and Embry are going to look all over Forks, starting at Charlie's house – and why that is, Bella doesn't get.

Quil and Jared also get the destination Forks, which make them a little disappointed since they were hoping for something a little more dangerous and exciting. Bella shivers at the thought of how someone even can put those two words under the same meaning. Dangerous and exciting. Dangerous is _not_ exciting.

Everybody agree to the fact that Paul is placed with Sam– since Paul is _very_ easily upset, it's for the best that Sam is near to stop Paul from doing anything stupid if something would agitate him.

When Edward tells Sam and Paul that they should go to the forests in Seattle, they do as he says – starting with transforming into big, hairy wolves – without hesitation and run away as fast as they can.

After the werewolves have left, the Cullen's start to divide into pairs as well. Carlisle and Rosalie are going to look for Esme in Seattle city, since Paul and Sam only went to Seattle's forests.

Alice and Jasper are going to stay at home in case Esme suddenly shows up there.

** The last 'pair' turns out to be a trio. Edward, Emmett and Bella. **

** "Because we're unequal" Edward replies nonchalantly – as if the answer is obvious – when Bella asks him why ****_they_**** had to be three. But she knows the answer **– **the ****_right_**** answer, not the lie Edward is telling **–**_because she's human. _****A fragile, vulnerable human. And on top of that – ****_pregnant_****.**

** But Edward obviously doesn't want to admit that. And Bella's okay with that, as long as Edward doesn't make her stay at home – which she, to be honest, is a little surprised over. But surprised in a good way. As long as she can be apart of the whole Esme-searching, she's okay. That's probably why Edward lets her come – he knows Bella would be more anxious if she couldn't be there, helping. Searching.**

** The trio – Edward, Emmett and Bella – are going to look in the forest they're in right now. The Great Bear Forest, according to Edward. ****_Let's just hope they don't call it that for a reason_****, Bella thinks to herself. She doesn't want to say it out loud, they will probably take it as a sign that she's scared – and ****_they_**** don't need to find out about that. And besides, it's not like Emmett would agree. Bella remembers Edward telling her that Grizzly's are Emmett's favorite. That means ****_bear_****. Ugh. And what was Edward's favorite? That's right, Mountain lions. ****_And I'm going to be one of those myself soon…_****, she thinks and refers to her husband and brother. **

** After searching in the forest – ****_The Great Bear Forest_**** – for what must have been two hours, they still haven't found her. Or a bear for that matter, and thank God for that. Or should she, thank God? What has he been doing today, anyway? Sleeping? Apparently, since he's neither helping nor listening to any prayers … Cause what can top a family – and maybe even their werewolf-friends – with ****_this_**** many prayers?**

** As Bella's still walking in the middle of the forest, between her brother and husband, a sound of what must be a huge animal interrupts Bella in her thoughts.**

** She looks at Edward who noticed too. His face stiffens as he wrinkles his nose, as if to smell what it is.**

** A bear? No, they're********two. ****_Two_**** bears? She starts to panic, when she suddenly catches sight of what she'd thought were two bears. She recognizes those brown eyes on one of them. **

** Oh, Jacob... It's just werewolf-Jacob and what must be werewolf-Leah. **

** "Any luck?" Emmett actually sounds hopeful – for the first time today. **

** Edward, Bella and Emmett wait for them to answer as they watch the big wolves turn back into "humans" again.**

** "Not really…" Leah mumbles in response **–** actually sounding sad when she speaks – as soon as she's in her human body again. **

** "Yeah, here too…" Emmett breathes, sounding just as sad as Leah. **

** Emmett and Leah seem to be the only ones able to talk. Bella, Edward and Jacob just stand there, staring at each other. Bella at Jacob – cause she wants to know what he's thinking, if she can have her best friend back. Jacob at Edward – cause he won't make eye contact with Bella. She chose. And she chose****_ him_****. Edward at Bella – cause he feels truly sorry for her. ****_My poor Isabella. _****Nobody treats his wife like that.**

** "Shall we keep looking?" Edward asks with a language that makes him seem at least eighty years old. But then again, he is a-hundred-and-nine, so sounding like an eighty-year-old is practically sounding young to him.**

** Without waiting for an answer, he starts walking and without wanting a chance to answer, Bella, Emmett, Leah and Jacob follow him.**

** Bella consciously places herself between Edward and Jacob, as she continues walking. For the first time today, she has a chance to talk to Jacob – even though they aren't alone. But these moments, where they actually are close enough to each other to talk, aren't really that many anymore. So she decides to ignore the rest of the people – if you can call two vampires and a werewolf ****_people_****.**

** "Thank you, Jacob. For doing this", she says with a low but truly grateful voice. "It really means a lot."**

** She shoots a just as greatful glance towards Leah, to make sure that she means her too.**

** When Jacob doesn't answer, Edward gives him an angry glance that Bella can only assume means something like ****_'She just said thank you, for God sake! What more do you want her to say? Sorry? Yeah, not gonna happen, mutt.'_**

** So he rolls his eyes at Edward for being so annoying – according to Jacob – and opens his mouth, probably to get Edward to stop with his glares.****_ Poor Jacob, Edward must be dazzling him_****. Bella catches herself giggling at her joke, so she puts her hand to her mouth and hopes nobody noticed. They'd probably think she'd gone crazy.**

** Jacob hesitates, but manages to get the words coming out of his mouth. "Just so you know, Bella, this doesn't make us friends", he clarifies rigidly. **

** '****_But I want to be you friend!_****' Bella wants to squeal, but she can't make a sound. **

** "****I'm only here because of Esme", he mutters, probably remembering Esme as the only Cullen to be nice to him. Except for Bella of course. Cause she's always been nice to him, hasn't she? Well, except the time she had said Edward was the one she wanted to be with, and not him. But what was she going to do? ****_Lie_**** to him, just to be nice? Lie to ****_herself_****? No. **

**And she wasn't being mean to him that time, she was being ****_honest. _****And he couldn't ask for more than the truth, right?**

** "What's that?" Leah suddenly exclaims. They all follow her hand's movement with their eyes, as it points towards something they're to far away from for Bella to see what it actually is. **

** "It looks like a… cottage." Edward sounds surprised, as he **unconsciously **answers the question Bella was just about to ask.**

** Cottage?**

** They walk to get closer to it. When they're about 200 feet away, Bella sees it. It ****_is_**** a cottage. A little, gray, very old fashioned and shabby cottage. **

** "We've been here before… Has that thing always been here? I don't remember it", Emmett says, both looking and sounding confused.**

** "No… I don't remember it either", Edward concurs. **

** "Well, obviously it's not newly built…" Leah makes a gesture towards the little cottage and looks at it knowingly. "Maybe you just never noticed it."**

** "Maybe…" Edward shrugs. **

** "So are we going in or what?" Jacob speaks for the first time since he made it clear that he wasn't here for Bella's sake. **

** Without waiting for an answer, he starts walking towards it. When he realizes that they're not following him, he shouts after them. "Come on! What, are you afraid?" he smirks.**

** When nobody answers and Edward gives Jacob another look, he shakes his head. "And you're supposed to be vampires…" he mutters and places his right hand on the doorknob. Just as he's about to turn it around, Emmett interrupts shouts; "So you're just gonna barge in?" He starts walking towards Jacob.**

** Edward takes Bella's hand and gives Leah a look before they follow Emmett.**

** "****_Why_****? It's not like somebody actually ****_lives_**** here", Jacob snorts.**

** "You don't****_ know_**** that…" Leah informs him, looking a little unsure. **

** "Yeah, you never know," Emmett smirks. "Maybe this is where Santa Claus is hiding", he jokes, but as usual, he's the only one laughing. **

** Jacob turns the knob around. **

** "It's open", he announces just as he opens the door.**

** Bella is the last person to walk in through the door, so she can't see anything but a bunch of backs and heads in front of her. **

** She feels how the all freeze – reacting to something. Something in the house. Something Bella can't see because of all the backs and heads. **

**_What?_**** Bella wants to ask, but she gets her answer as soon as somebody – and her brain is too occupied to comprehend ****_who_**** – suddenly bursts out "E…****_Esme_****?"**

**_Esme! What? _**

**For the moment****_, _****Bella doesn't give a damn about the people standing in front of her. She – surprisingly enough – makes her way through the strong, big bodies in front of her. **

** And then she sees her. It ****_is_**** Esme sitting there on the floor against the wall, in the empty and cold room. Esme. Esme. Esme. Just as **illegally remarkably **beautiful as always, and most important - ****_alive_****. If you could call a living vampire that…**

** "Oh, Esme. We've been looking…everywhere for you," Bella whispers between the sobs as soon as she manages to sink down on the floor in Esme's arms.**

** She embraces Bella, but doesn't answer. **

** Her eyes are colder than normally, ice-cold and pitch black. By her expression, you can kind of say she looks blank. What's up with the Cullen's and looking blank? ****_Oh, right, I'm a Cullen too_****.**

** Leah, Jacob, Emmett and Edward – who're all standing at the very same spot as before – are surprisingly late to react. Well, Emmett and Edward might just have a lot of think of. It's not every day you find your mother in a little cottage out the woods… **

** Esme's two sons finally walk towards her. They look at her doubtfully, as if they aren't sure if it's really her or not.**

** "Is it really you, Esme?" Emmett breathes. **

** Just as Bella thought.**

** "You're not supposed to be here," Esme says, opening her mouth for the first time.**

** "What do you mean? What are you doing here?" Edward asks as he sinks down on the floor, next to Esme and Bella. **

** He takes Esme's hand and look into her eyes. "Esme…?" he insists. **

** It's actually a little rude of him never to call her 'mom'. Even though she didn't give birth to him, she's been like a mother to him ever since… well, ever since she was turned, basically.**

** "You can't be here, it's too dangerous for Bella." Esme starts to panic. **

**_Too dangerous for _****me****_?_**

** "What are you talking about?" Edward is as clueless as Bella, and probably the rest of them as well.**

** Bella and Edward try to calm Esme by hushing her.**

** "Emmett, would you call Carlisle, please?" Edward throws a glance against his brother.**

** "Right on it," he replies, disappearing out through the door to make the phone call Edward asked for.**

** Bella comes to think of what Esme had said. '****_it's too dangerous for Bella'_****. What did that mean? **

** She unconsciously lowers her hand downward her stomach that now holds an almost four months old baby. **

** She didn't mean the baby, did she? She was just referring to the fact that Bella was a fragile human, right?**

Bella frowns and thinks to herself. _What does Esme know that we don't?_


	8. Chap 7: Didn't see that one coming

**En-freaking-joy! ;)**

**Chapter 7 **

**Didn't see that one coming**

Bella frowns and thinks to herself. _What does Esme know that we don't?_

** Emmett interrupts her reflections as he comes inside again. "Carlisle and Rose are on their way", he announces loudly. **

** "Carlisle…?" Esme breathes. Bella notices her eyes going from ice-cold to loving warm and if you're observant – which Bella is known for being – you can see that there's a little smile hiding in there. **

** "Esme…" Edward starts. "Can you please explain to us why you are here and who – or what – brought you here?"**

** "I can't tell you", she whispers. She looks exhausted, even though she can't be tired.**

** "But trust me when I tell you that you can't be here." She looks at Bella's belly and then closes her eyes. "Especially Bella", she adds. "Please, just go. I'll be fine."**

**_Especially me?_**** Bella tries to swallow, but with no success.**

** "Esme?" It's Carlisle who blows in. **

** Rosalie, who comes right after him, stops by the door, as if she's shocked to see that it really is Esme.**

** Carlisle on the other hand, hurries to get to Esme and embraces her. He kisses her forehead gently.**

** "I've been so worried", he says in a low voice.**

** "I'm okay."**

** "Honey, I need you to tell us what's going on." He puts his hands on her cheeks. "I know you must be shocked, but you have to tell us. I'm losing my mind. ****_We're_**** losing our minds."**

** "I…" She hesitates.**

** "Please", he begs.**

** She switches her gaze from Carlisle to Bella. "I'm so sorry Bella…" she starts.**

** Bella starts to panic when she sees Esme's eyes so full of sympathy. ****_What is going on? _****she wants to scream out, but she can't even open her mouth.**

** She must look terrified.**

** Edward's facial expression also shows clear panic, but instead of ask, he waits for Esme to continue.**

** "He's after Bella… Her baby", Esme finally whispers. **

** Everybody freeze. **

** "No", Bella gasps. "No." ****_My baby_****. She slowly sinks down on the floor. Edward takes her in his arms, as he thinks she's falling. **

** She doesn't know what's going on, but right now she doesn't really matter. All that matters is that her baby's in danger.**

** "Who?" She barely hears Carlisle's voice, she's to busy panicking. **

** Esme seems to have calmed down a bit. But Bella sure as hell hasn't.**

** "It's a 50 % human, 50 % vampire. His name's **Marquis."

50 % human, 50 % vampire? Why did this sound so familiar? Bella's brain is too occupied to function properly.

Carlisle nods at Esme to get her to continue.

"He likes to think of himself as a hampire. And he's the only one of that kind in the world."

_Hampire?_

"Half a vampire, half a human? Well, that certainly explains a lot", Carlisle mumbles, probably referring to the fact that he didn't recognize the scent.

"But what does this have to do with Bella?"

Just what Bella's wondering.

Esme looks at Bella again. "As I said, he's a hampire - half human, half vampire. What do you think Bella and Edward's child will be?" She looks back at Carlisle.

"She'll be a ham…pire?" Edward mumbles and looks at Bella.

"Marquis is the master among his coven. But he's the only hampire, the rest of them are vampires, that's why they made him the leader – they find him uniqe, like a God." Esme stops but continues after just a second. "Somehow – and I don't know how – he found out that someone was carrying a hampire here in Forks."

"Me", Bella croaks as she drops her hand to her stomach.

"He was looking for you, when he came to our house. I knew something was wrong. And he claimed to be a vampire, but I didn't believe him, so I would let him see you, Bella."

"So he kidnapped you.." Emmett guesses, but Esme ignores him.

"The thing that makes Marquis the master, the leader, among his people is that – as I said before – he's the only hampire in the world. At least he _was_. If his people knew about this baby, they wouldn't find him unique anymore, and that means that they would choose another leader."

"Why? He has to be the only one?" Emmett asks confused. Confused. That's something all of them must be right now.

Esme doesn't respond. She probably doesn't know what to say. And can you blame her? It's not like Bella has anything to say. Cause what is there to say, anyway? '_Didn't see that one coming'_?

Bella looks at Edward. He looks like he's just as confused as she is.

She knows Esme's trying to explain, but it doesn't make any sense. This _Marquis_ wants to kill her baby because he wants to be the only hampire in the world? _No_, that doesn't make any sense at all.

"So he wants to kill our baby?" Edward guesses and puts his hand on top of Bella's, where it's resting on her stomach.

It doesn't matter how wrong and absurd that sentence is, Bella can't stop her heart from skipping a beat of the way he says 'our'.

But then the meaning of the sentence hits her. _No, no, no, NO!_

"And to do that, he has to kill Bella…" He clarifies the obvious and clenches his fists, as he always does when he's upset. But from his facial expression, he looks like he's more than upset.

"And he just _has_ to be the only hampire?" Rosalie suddenly exclaims. She looks furious.

She's probably just as worried about the baby as Edward and Bella, since she already loves her more than anything.

Bella feels truly sorry for Rosalie to never be able to be a mother, she can't even imagine how that must feel like, especially now that she is going to be a mother.

Being pregnant really changes you. Bella never thought about having kids before she found out that she and Edward was going to. But after these months, she can't imagine how it would be to not be pregnant.

"He's a horrible person", is all Esme says.

_Couldn't agree with you more_.

"Why'd he put you here?" Emmett asks. He has been the only one able to ask questions – except for Rosalie's exclamation – even though they all have the same ones in their heads.

"When he told me he was going to kill Bella, I started screaming at him…" She stops for a moment.

Esme screaming? That's a first.

"So he took me here", she continues.

_Where is this Marquis anyway?_

"Couldn't you just escape?" Again, it's Emmett who speaks.

"He said he would kill Bella if I wasn't here when he shows up", she explains with a flat voice.

"So he won't if you're here?"

"No, then he will probably kill me." She says it simply, almost nonchalantly, as if it's nothing. But it sure as hell isn't_ nothing_.

Carlisle finally opens his mouth, after being quiet for what must have been five minutes. "No one is going to get killed. I'll make sure."

"Except for that Marquis maybe", Emmett says, speaking through his teeth.

_He's got that right_. Bella hasn't met this Marquis yet, but she already hates him. _That…that bastard! _is the worst word she comes up with at the moment, but oh, he is so much more than a bastard.

"Where is he now, and when does he come back?" Edward vocalizes Bella's thoughts.

It's a good thing that Bella has Edward right now when she's too shocked to speak – he knows exactly what she is wondering.

"I don't know…" Esme whispers, almost as if she's embarrassed to be unaware of that fact. But she shouldn't be, poor Esme.

"I don't know", she repeats.

"Well, we have to get you out of here, so come on", Emmett tries to drag her up from the floor, but she resists.

"Didn't you hear me? He will kill Bella if I'm not here when he shows!"

She doesn't seem to think about herself even the slightest. Is Bella and her baby all she cares about at the moment? Esme, Esme, Esme - too good for her own good.

Bella just can't let her stay here, just to get killed by the monster that could show up any minute now.

"No, Esme", she protests. "You have to come with us. He won't be able to kill any of us. With the pack, we're sixteen against one", she calculates fast.

"You don't know what abilities he has. He's not like us."

Abilities that Bella and Edward's child will have as well?

"What _sort_ of abilities do you mean?" Carlisle suddenly asks.

Exactly what Bella is wondering.

"I'm not quite sure, but I have my theories." She starts telling them about how she'd seen an empty spot in the forest and bam! Just like that, the empty spot was now hidden under a cottage.

Well, that explains why Edward and Emmett didn't remember it.

"So he's like a wizard? How cool is that?" Emmett actually sounds impressed. However he can think that's cool, that's just frightening. And it's not like it means it'll be any easier for them. If he is a wizard he can conjure up anything. A whole army of some kinds of monsters. Anything.

_Well, I guess my argument_ '_he can't have abilities strong enough to fight seven vampires and nine werewolves' kinda went down the drain there._

"Esme, please?" Bella begs. "You _have_ to come with us, or else I'll stay here with you and he'll kill us both." No, not both, all _three_ of them.

Esme closes her eyes. "We have to hide and be prepared to fight." _Yes! _Looks like she's given in.

Carlisle drags up Esme carefully – even though she won't get harmed how hard he touches her, with that stone skin of hers.

On their way out through the door, Rosalie stops to look at Bella. "We're really gonna do everything we can, Bella. We won't let _anyone_ harm either you or the baby", she assures and unexpectedly enough she hugs Bella – something that makes her raise her eyebrows. Alice, sure. But Rosalie? Wow.

There has been a whole lot of 'didn't see that one coming' today, that's for sure.

Edward takes Bella's hand as soon as they get out of the house.

"We should probably let Alice and Jasper know that we found Esme", Emmett says and takes up his cellphone from his pocket.

They hear a distant sound of Emmett talking, as he walks away from them for a couple of seconds.

"Yeah, and what about the pack? They probably want to know as well", Bella notes and looks at Jacob and Leah.

"We already thought about that", Leah clarifies.

"And…?" she asks sheepishly.

"_And _we literally thought about it", Jacob mutters. "While you were talking to Esme, we shifted into wolf-shape and thought about it. We hear each other's thought that way, remember?" he explains to her as if she's an idiot.

_Oh…__ right_, Bella thinks and feels dumb.

Edward glares at Jacob. Again.

"So, we're going home now or what?" Emmett wonders as soon as he comes back.

Edward looks sceptical. "I don't know. He obviously knows where we live, shouldn't we hide somewhere?"

"Come on! We're not even gonna fight?" Emmett groans.

"Emmett, if we have to fight, it's not because it's fun", Carlisle reminds him. "It's in self defence."

Emmett rolls his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

After finding their way out of the forest, they finally reach the car.

"I thought about what we should do", Carlisle starts and continues when everybody looks at him. "We pick up Alice and Jasper at our house, and then we go to the Denali coven in Alaska."

_Wow. Alaska, that's… far from home_.

"They wouldn't help us find Esme, what makes you think they'd let us stay there?" Edward mutters.

"There has to be an explanation to their behaviour", Carlisle replies. "We're practically family. I'm sure they would let us in if we came."

"Yeah, well they haven't really been predictable theses days, so I wouldn't count on it", Edward says, speaking through his teeth and clenching his fists – again, probably kind of upset.

"What are _we_ gonna do?" Jacob frowns.

"You'll stay in La Push. From what we know, he's not after you." Carlisle clarifies, politely as always.

"Okay", Leah and Jacob say at the very same time.

"What am I going to say to Charlie?" Bella suddenly come to think of.

She looks at Edward.

"I don't know, honey. We'll come up with something", he promises and smiles at her.

"Well, let's go then" Carlisle says and they say goodbye to Jacob and Leah. Who knows when they will see them again?

When Jacob and Leah's out of sight, they hop in the car – everybody except Bella, Edward doesn't allow her to do that from now on. Instead, he _carries_ her into the car. Just one word – overprotective.

The drive to the Cullen's house takes an unusually long time – at least it feels like it does to Bella.

When they turn in to the driveway, they see Alice and Jasper standing on the exterior stairs.

They get out of the car, so that Alice and Jasper can hug Esme.

While Carlisle, Esme, Emmett and Edward tries to explain everything to Alice and Jasper – since Emmett was _a little_ brief in his words on the phone, according to Alice (his exact words had been '_found Esme, bye'_), Bella borrows Rosalie for a second.

They walk to the back yard. Bella suddenly opens her mouth.

"You really love this baby, don't you?" She looks into Rosalie's eyes to see her reaction.

"I really do, yeah." She smiles and puts her hand on Bella's belly. "I really do", she repeats with her soft and oh, so beautiful voice.

"That's why I wondered…" Bella starts and reveals her teeth into a big smile. "What would you think of being her godmother…?"

**Review…? :)**


	9. Chap 8: Goodbye

**Chapter 8**

**Goodbye**

She knows Alice won't mind. Obviously, Alice would love to be the godmother and it would mean a lot to her, but Alice knows that it would mean _the world_ to Rosalie, so she'll be okay with it. And Edward definitely won't mind, Bella's made sure.

"Oh my… God." Rosalie finally manages to utter, after being quiet for what must have been a minute. "Are you serious?"

"Always am." Bella laughs quietly. "So what do you say?"

"What do you think?" she squeals. "Yes! In every language there is – sí, ouí, ja, yes. Yes, yes, a million times, yes!" She throws herself into Bella's arms.

"Oh my God, I have to tell Emmett!" she suddenly exclaims.

"Okay, but don't tell him he's going to be the godfather yet, Edward and I want to do that ourselves."

Edward must have heard their conversation, because he comes up to them and smiles when he sees Rosalie's reaction.

"Oh, he's going to be the godfather? You, guys! I _love_ you", she says, enunciating the word _love_.

So she _does_ love Bella, it wasn't just something Edward said to make her feel better?

Rosalie hugs Bella one more time and gives her brother a kiss on his cheek. "You won't regret this," she promises and runs off to find Emmett.

"Yeah, we'll see about that. Emmett with our daughter…? I don't know. He can be a little… hmm." Edward thinks for a couple of seconds. "Yeah, I don't think there's a word for it." He chuckles.

Bella laughs at his comment. "No", she says after a while and smiles. "They'll be great."

"Yeah, I think so too", he breathes.

Edward kisses her one time on her cheek and then one time on her mouth. Bella almost falls down as he does that. _Gosh, is he the best kisser or what?_

Edward chuckles.

"Get a room", they hear Emmett smirk, as he comes up to them.

"We will, as soon as we come to the Denalis", Bella jokes. Well, on a second thought, she isn't really joking… But _Emmett_ doesn't have to know that.

He chuckles. "Remind me and Rosalie not to get the room next to yours."

"Who are the ones to break houses again?" Edward chuckles.

Yes, who are the ones to break houses during their "passionate moments", again? That's right, Emmett and Rosalie. _Not_ Edward and Bella… But then again, Bella's still a fragile human and therefore Edward's always so cautious, but when she's a vampire..? Who knows…

"Bella? What are you thinking about?" Edward interrupts her slightly embarrassing thoughts.

"Oh, uhm, nothing…" she replies nonchalantly, proud of the fact that her face manages to stay skin-colored instead of going all tomato-reddish. This is a perfect example of those moments when Bella's happy that Edward can't read her mind – although he probably wouldn't disagree with her thoughts. Well, hopefully not.

"Guys, are you coming?" Alice yells from the front yard. "We're going to Charlie's house. Then we'll take off."

That's right… _Take off._ To the Denali coven in Alaska. Without Charlie. Bella had almost forgotten about that.

"Edward, I haven't even come up with a story yet!" Bella starts to panic a little.

"Story?" He raises his eyebrows and frowns.

"To tell Charlie, to why we'll be away from Forks for who knows how long." _For who knows how long…_, she repeats in her head.

"Don't worry. Apparently Rose and Emmett have come up with something", he says, smiling at her, trying to calm her. But Emmett, really? Andthat's supposed to _calm_ her?

They go to the front yard to the car and Edward opens the car door to the passenger seat and helps Bella to get in, and then hops into the driver's seat.

"So, what story did you two come up with?" She looks at Emmett and Rosalie in the back seat, not able to hide the anxious expression on her face.

"Relax", Emmett smiles. "It's perfect."

"And are you going to tell me what it is?"

"Okay, okay. You'll just tell Charlie that you had to go to a special doctor that lives far from here just to check on something. Something that can be dangerous. That you're worried about or whatever…" Emmett tells her nonchalantly. "Genius, huh?" He smiles smugly.

Bella gasps and looks at Edward as if to see if he's not going to disapprove of Emmett's plan.

"No way!" Bella almost yells. "No way in hell I'm telling Charlie something might be wrong with me or the baby! He'll freak out!"

"Well, don't you think he'll freak out if we come back and tell him you and the baby are dead?" _Oh, yeah. Right. Marquis._

"Emmett, shut up!" Rosalie slaps him. "We are _not _letting that bastard kill, or even come near, Bella and the baby."

Emmett looks at Rosalie and then Bella. "I know. Sorry... We're not gonna let anything happen to you or my little niece in there, sis," he says, stroking Bella's belly twice. "But, you need a story, don't you?"

Bella scratches her head, looking at Edward for ideas.

"Can't we just say we're going on vacation…?" he suggests.

"No, he'll never let me in this condition."

Edward sighs. "No, he won't… So I guess we'll just have to go with what Emmett said."

Bella looks at him with the saddest eyes ever. "I guess we do," she finally gives in.

"Carlisle, Esme and Jazz just drove off with the other car," Alice suddenly says and hops into the backseat next to Rose and Emmett. "I wanted to go with you, Bella. We have so much planning to do!"

Bella looks at her, confused. "Planning?"

"Well, yeah." Alice rolls her eyes. "The baby's gonna be here in just a couple of months! How are we going to decorate the nursery? Who do you want to invite to your baby shower? I've made my point; we have _a lot_ of planning to do."

Edward sighs from the driver's seat. "Alice, not now. Bella's going to her father to tell him a false story she really doesn't want to tell him. And after that we're going to the Denali's, even though we don't know if they'll let us stay there. So, not now."

"Alright, alright." She mumbles, looking bummed out.

"So," Emmett starts, trying to change the subject. "Have you two come up with a name yet?"

"Uh, no," Edward and Bella admit in unison, as Edward starts driving off to Charlie's house.

"We haven't really had time to think about that," Edward says.

Emmett lights up. "Great! Cause I kinda have…"

Bella and Edward look at each other at the same time with the same look on their faces, saying _"oh no"._

Emmett, of course, doesn't notices and continues with excitement. "I was thinking…perhaps Rosette? You know, like a Rosalie/Emmett mixture. Huh? Huh?" He looks at them with confirmation-seeking eyes and exaltation written all over his face.

While Rosalie just sighs at her husband, Alice, Bella and Edward all look at him, wondering if he's serious. But, he's Emmett. Of course he is.

"No," Bella mutters. "Just…no."

"No? Cause I have a couple of more ideas… And I mean, you can have a veto."

"It's our baby, Emmett," Bella protests. "We can have all the vetos we want."

"Alright. Three vetos."

"And I'm _married _to him…" Rosalie sighs once again.

"Yeah, why_ did_ you marry him, again?" Edward smirks.

Emmett rolls his eyes. "Because I'm hot, duh."

Everybody starts laughing, and by the time they've become silent, they stand parked behind Esme, Carlisle and Jasper outside of Charlie's house.

"So…" Edward starts, as he helps Bella out of the car. "You ready, love?"

This reminds Bella a lot of the time they stood here, preparing to go inside and tell Charlie he was going to be a grandfather. "Not even the slightest," she confesses. "Let's go."

"Good luck, Bella." It's Esme who comes up by her side and kisses her on her cheek. "We'll wait for you out here."

Edward takes Bella's hand in his as they approach the door. Bella knock one time, but doesn't bother to wait for Charlie to come get it. She turns the doorknob and they step in.

"Oh, hi kids." Charlie comes out from the living room with a beer in his hands, probably leaving a baseball game on the TV. "Didn't here you coming."

"Yeah, we wanted to talk to you, dad." Bella tries not to sound as messed up as she is.

"Alright…Why don't you follow me into the living room?"

They do as he says and take seats on the couch in front of the television, which is, as expected, showing a baseball game.

"So, why such serious look on your face, Bells? Do I need to worry?" He doesn't really look so worried, he probably thinks it isn't something serious going on.

"Uh, actually…" she starts.

"Oh my God, you're pregnant!" he interrupts her, joking.

"Busted." Bella plays along and laughs a short, joyless laugh. Edward holds a tight grip around the one hand of hers he never let go.

Bella takes a deep breath. "No, dad. Listen, there is something I wanted to tell you and I don't know, but it might be serious. So I need you to let me finish. But please, just don't worry, okay?"

He nods shortly in assurance, but by the look on his face, he already is worried.

Bella sighs miserably as she starts telling the story Emmett partly came up with, but she partly would have to improvise on. "Look… I let Carlisle exam me, and… it looks like the baby might not be doing as well as we thought she was. I don't know exactly what's wrong and Carlisle doesn't either. It probably has something to do with my placenta breaking. Carlisle could just tell this baby is really sick and he can't do anything about it as long as the baby's inside of me. And obviously, it's way too early for induced labour or c-section. Carlisle is as a doctor too limited to help this baby. Most would be. To get to a doctor that has skills and equipment that qualifies to what this baby needs, I have to go to Europe." Obviously, she can't say Alaska, that's probably not exactly the place of magical doctors. "Switzerland, to be more exact," Bella informs him while looking at him, searching for emotions in his empty facial expression. "This might be dangerous for me and the baby both, dad. Really dangerous." She doesn't have to fake the tears.

"Bells… I don't what to say." With his still empty facial expression, he approaches her on the couch, as if to hug her. She helps him along the way by stretching out her arms, and they embrace each other with such unconditional father-daughter love.

As they sit there, hugging each other, Bella states the obvious. "I'm going to Switzerland, dad. And I don't know when I get back."

**A/N:**

**Anyone noticed I borrowed a sentence from High School Musical 3? ;)**

**Hope you liked it. Now, **_**please**_** review! You know how much that means to me!**

**And yeah, I don't have a beta and English, as you probably know, isn't my first language. So, please, be indulgent with that. :) **

**Much love,**

**Kay**


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